


The Darkest Hour

by letliv3



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, BE WARY, Father-Son Relationship, Lots of Angst, Major character death - Freeform, Pain Invasion Arc, its pretty dramatic, its pretty heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 05:37:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11457096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letliv3/pseuds/letliv3
Summary: A what if AU: Sakumo Hatake survives all these painful years just to watch Pein destroy his Village and kill his son.





	The Darkest Hour

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my tumblr, as a thought that popped into my brain. It did really well there, so have it here too. I hurt my own heart writing this, and I definitely cried a little. So be. Warned. Very dark and angsty.

The loss of Jiraiya had both Sakumo and Tsunade floundering. To learn that he had been killed by a boy he once taught... it was like Orochimaru’s betrayal all over again.

And now that boy was attacking their Village looking for the Toad Sage’s ( _and his son’s_ ) precious student? It left a sour taste in Sakumo’s mouth. 

Sakumo had retired from active duty a few years ago now, shortly after Kakashi had joined ANBU and as Minato had become Hokage. He still kept his skills sharp though, ready if the Village ever needed him again.

Now those skills were needed. The White Fang took up arms once more.

The destruction was everywhere, buildings crushed to rubble, unlucky civilians and shinobi alike strewn about in the streets, the scent of blood almost overpowering Sakumo’s sensitive nose. He could see Tsunade’s summons making her way from body to body, trying to find those she could save. Could see the giant, certainly otherworldly summons that one of Pein’s bodies was wielding. 

With so much chakra being thrown about (Tsunade’s healing through Katsuyu, Pein’s summons, and all the shinobi doing battle) it was difficult to get a read on where his precious people were. He was a tank, not a sensor. The brute force to match the finesse of his wife’s ( _and later, his son’s_ ) skills. But right now his priority was to find his son, find Kakashi, because certainly,  _certainly_ , Pein would go after Naruto’s precious teacher.

Off to Sakumo’s left, there was a large explosion, debris and dirt flying high into the air, not unlike the other scenes the eldest Hatake had seen this day. However, his stomach clenched, his chest tightened, and he sucked in a breath. Kakashi was there, Sakumo could feel it in his bones.

The distance between him and the explosion would take several minutes to cross. Sakumo launched himself towards where he knew his son would be, and hoped Kakashi proved to be as resilient as himself. 

As he approached, it became easier to sense the chakra in the area. The White Fang picked up on Chouza and his son’s chakra, and Kakashi’s, as well as Pein’s. All the signatures were weak, but Choji’s was definitely the strongest; and it was fleeing, moving quickly in the opposite direction, back towards Tsunade and her ANBU guard. Sakumo tried not to think of the implications in that action. 

(He thought of them anyway. Kakashi and Choza injured, unable to flee, or refusing to flee, sending Choji off to warn Lady Hokage about Pein’s abilities.)

When he touched down in the desolated area, Sakumo processed several things at once. First, that Choza was laid out, unconscious, and unmoving. Second, that there was a destroyed body, the one Pein that uses weapons (he felt a swell of pride that his genin student, his son, and Kakashi could destroy one of the bodies). Lastly, that Kakashi was buried up to his chest in rubble, breath rasping and bleeding. 

Sakumo was at Kakashi’s side in an instant, tearing at the wood, concrete, and plaster that was crushing his son, his son, his son, _his boy, his little boy!_

Kakashi’s eyes rolled sluggishly to Sakumo as his father tore and tore until his fingertips were bloody and raw. 

“No, no, no. No Kakashi, son, come on. Come on say something kid, please!” Sakumo babbled and breathed hard and sharp as he freed his son. Kakashi’s body sagged into Sakumo’s grip, and the younger man grunted as his father lowered him to the ground. 

“Hey... Dad... Glad you’re... okay...” Kakashi’s voice was painful and soft to Sakumo. The boy’s sharingan eye was bleeding and his chakra signature was so weak, Sakumo couldn’t feel it at all. Desperately, the eldest Hatake cast his eyes around the clearing, looking for some way, some miracle, to help his son.

When he realized there was none, no Katsuyu, no medical shinobi, Sakumo felt like his world was ending. Tears welled in his eyes, ones he hadn’t shed since the night his son joined ANBU. Bottom lip quivering slightly, Sakumo looked back down to his son, his arms the only thing supporting the boy. Kakashi, with great effort, brought his hand up and lowered the cloth mask around his face. Once his face was freed of the sticky, bloody fabric, Kakashi breathed as deeply as he could.

Sakumo felt the tears spill out from his eyes and clutched his son tightly to himself.

“Don’t have much time… but I’m glad… I got to see you… one last time…” It was obvious it took Kakashi great effort to speak. Sakumo tried to hush his son, tell him not to speak, help will be here soon, but the young Hatake shook his head. “This is it… for me… I’ll get to see Obito and Rin… and Sensei and Kushina… and Mom…”

A smile crept onto Kakashi’s face, baring his bloody teeth. Sakumo looked into his son’s eyes as his teardrops fell on the boy’s face. “I love you son. I’ll always love you, please, Kakashi…”

“Love you too, Dad…” Slowly, as though it took all of his willpower, Kakashi’s eyes closed. Sakumo touched his forehead to his son’s, and felt the dying breath leave his son’s body as he cradled the boy impossibly closer.

The Hatake counted his son’s breaths, one, two, three… the fourth never came, and Kakashi of the Sharingan, Sakumo’s only, precious son, breathed no more. Sakumo was once again the last of his clan.


End file.
